The editors of The House Designers present the 10 best-selling house plans of 2012 from a collection of over 6,000 home designs from America’s leading architects and designers. These popular home designs share many similarities, including size, energy-efficiency and open and flexible living spaces. Of the top 10 home plans, 9 were less than 2,500 sq. ft. When it came to architectural style, all of these homes were craftsman, cottage and ranch house plans with a preference for attached garages, basement foundations and bonus spaces. Each plan features an outdoor living space in its design from lanais to barbeque patios to in-ground pools. Nine were one-story homes – a trend that is expected to continue as Baby Boomers age and new homeowners look for floor plans to age in place.
“We found that these 10 house plans are representative of the new home design trends of 2012 which include outdoor living spaces, cost-effective designs, green design elements and building products, open floor plans and bonus spaces,” said Tammy Crosby, Chief Operating Officer of The House Designers. “Homeowners and builders are looking for smaller floor plans, but don’t want to sacrifice luxury amenities and aesthetics of homes with much larger footprints, which is why these house plans are so popular.”
Here is a list of the top 10 best-selling house plans of 2012 from The House Designers:
1 – For the third year in a row, the L’Attesa di Vita House Plan remains The House Designers’ best-selling design. At 2,091 sq. ft. this versatile craftsman house plan features every amenity a homeowner could desire including a deluxe master suite, office, open kitchen and family room with a cozy breakfast nook and walk-in pantry. For outdoor living space there’s a lanai and barbeque porch with fireplace. It’s easy to extend your living space with a 349 sq. ft. bonus room above the two-car garage and optional basement floor plan with a spacious guest suite. View the floor plans and 25 images of this popular home design.
2 – Similar in design to the L’Attesa di Vita is the La Meilleure Vie House Plan with its gorgeous blend of stone and wood exterior. This home is 2,847 sq. ft. and features a three-car garage with a large 934 sq. ft. bonus room designed as a recreational space with a media, game and billiards room. Entertaining is made easy with a large family room and amenity-filled kitchen that opens to a covered lanai and barbeque porch. View this craftsman cottage house plan.
3 – The trend in ranch house plans with a craftsman, cottage styling continues with the third most popular home from The House Designers called the Montagna di Grazioso House Plan. This home was designed with great attention to detail to maximize its 2,106 square footage including a fabulous kitchen design for a small space featuring innovative storage solutions and plenty of workspace and seating. A walk-in pantry is essential for homeowners who like to stock up on supplies. View this craftsman house plan.
“You would think that these top three homes would be costly to build because of all the stone and wood, but the opposite is true thanks to companies like Fypon®, Therma-Tru®, Cultured Stone® by Boral® and Ply Gem®,” said Crosby. “These companies offer gorgeous veneer, fiberglass and polyurethane products that mimic the look of the real product without the high cost or maintenance. Because they are lightweight and easy to use they are favored among builders as well.”
4 – The Long Meadow is an elegant country house plan with a craftsman façade and flexible interior design. A three-car garage, screened porch, spacious country kitchen, a 1,535 sq. ft. bonus area and an optional 2,352 sq. ft. basement make this home irresistible! View the floor plans to this country cottage house plan, including the finished basement floor plan.
5 – The Vita Encantata House Plan joins the top three best-selling house plans in its flair for exterior appeal and love of entertaining with outdoor living spaces and an open kitchen and great room. There’s a 302 sq. ft. bonus space above the two-car garage and an optional finished basement to extend the home’s 1,838 sq. ft. to almost double its size. Take a tour of this popular craftsman cottage house plan with European styling by clicking here.
6 and 7 – While most homeowners expect a certain level of green elements in their home design, many are looking for a higher standard of green building, which is why interest in The House Designers exclusive collection of ENERGY STAR and Green House Plans continues to grow. The 1st place winner of the 2012 ENERGY STAR Home Design Competition is the sixth most popular house plan, followed by the popular Tres Le Fleur House Plan. These homes are extremely energy efficient, aesthetically appealing and well designed for their square footage.
8, 9 and 10 – The final three house plans are classic craftsman ranch house plans designed with room to grow. The Halstad House Plan is just under 3,000 sq. ft. and features a functional floor plan with two bedrooms and a 581 sq. ft. bonus space above the three-car garage. When it comes to curb appeal and room for indoor/outdoor entertaining this home is a solid ten. The Mountain Cottage with Optional Bonus Room comes with an enlarged master bath floor plan option and finished bonus suite. The Sturbridge II House Plan features a compact floor plan with four bedrooms, an office and a bonus space.
Consumers and builders looking to build a new home can browse through thousands of similar house plans by viewing the Architectural Styles and Specialty Collections section of the website.
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Christine Cooney
Christine has over a decade of experience as a house plan and floor plan expert. Outside of providing her expertise to customers to help them find and build their dream homes, her passion and knowledge of the home building industry allows Christine to guide families and builders through all of the important steps from finding plans to building custom homes that meet the expectations of today’s new home owner. Christine’s years of knowledge of the diverse trends and needs of the modern homeowner has made her into an authoritative and trusted voice in the online house plan community.